


Moving On

by yarnwithpictures



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Other, Pearlrose, pearlmethyst - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-14
Updated: 2016-01-14
Packaged: 2018-05-13 22:53:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,151
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5720008
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yarnwithpictures/pseuds/yarnwithpictures
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Pearl makes a difficult decision.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Moving On

Pearl was in Rose’s room.  She felt off.  Floaty.  

She tried to remember why she was there, but she couldn’t remember going in the first place.  It was all very strange, but for some reason, she wasn’t unsettled by it.  It felt natural.  

“Pearl.”  

Pearl’s eyes grew wide before she spun around and let her mouth fall open.  It was Rose.  

She didn’t move.  A wave of mixed emotions flooded over her and she couldn’t figure out what she was supposed to do, so she just sat there, awestruck.  

Rose smiled sadly and approached.  Pearl followed her with her eyes, and eventually turned her head when Rose came close and sat down next to her.  

“Hi.”  Rose’s smile was a little cheerier this time as she held her hand underneath Pearl’s jaw and pushed it up.  Pearl blushed teal and blinked a few times.  

“Hi,” she finally answered.  

There was a long pause where neither of them spoke, but they didn’t look away from each other.  

Finally, Pearl’s breath caught, and she started to cry.  “I miss you.”  

The sad smile made an appearance again.  “I know.  I miss you, too.”  

Pearl wiped away her tears with her hands and sniffed.  She couldn’t think of anything else to say.  

“How is everyone?”  

The question caught Pearl off guard, so she didn’t answer for a moment.  Looking at Rose seemed harder now for some reason.  

“They’re- great.  Everyone’s fine.”  

“Garnet is okay?”  

Pearl nodded, thinking of her awful mistake with Sardonyx and how they’d been getting better.  “Yes, she is.”  

“And Amethyst?”  

Pearl pulled her knees up to her chin and shoved the giddy feeling in her chest back down.  She hoped Rose hadn’t seen, but of course she chuckled knowingly, and the butterflies turned into guilt.  “I’m sorry.”  

Rose didn’t say anything for a minute or so.  

“Pearl… do I make you sad?”  

She didn’t answer.  

“You look sad.  You’re crying.”  

Pearl hurried to wipe more tears away and hid her face behind her knees.  

“Am I worth being sad over?”  

“Of course!” Pearl finally looked at Rose again, her tears flowing freely.  “Of course you are.”  

Rose tried to force a smile, but it failed immediately.  “I don’t want you to be sad anymore.  Not like this, at least.”  

Pearl slumped, confused.  “I don’t… what do you mean?”  

Rose turned and looked in front of them.  There was a closed door.  Pearl hadn’t seen it up until now.  

“I don’t…” she was suddenly scared, “I don’t want to forget you.”  

“That’s not what I’m asking you to do, Pearl.”  

“But I don’t know how else to _feel_ about you!” Pearl had leapt to her feet, and she was shouting now.  “What am I supposed to do?”  

She stood there panting and weeping, Rose coming in and out of focus.  She wore a patient face, as she always had.  

“I’m not sure, either,” she finally murmured, “but I know I want you to be happy.  And… I’m- _gone_ , now.”  

“I know, but I can’t-” Pearl held her head in her hands, “I can’t do this.”  

Rose’s hands felt faint and far away on Pearl’s shoulders.  “You need to. For your sake and hers.”  

The guilt came back full force, and Pearl dug her fingertips into her forehead and her cheeks.  

“It’s _okay_.”  

Pearl shook her head vehemently and hugged herself tight enough to hurt.  

“Yes, it is!  It’s healthy, Pearl-”  

“It feels like I’m betraying you.”  

“You’re not.  I promise you’re not.”  

“But I love you.”  

“That doesn’t mean you can’t love her.”  

Pearl sank to her knees, and Rose followed.  

“Pearl… my Pearl,” Rose hugged her tightly.  That, too, felt light against her skin, like Rose was barely there.  “I love you so much.  I won’t love you any less if you go, I’ll understand.”  

Pearl sniffed again and held tightly onto the fabric of Rose’s dress.  “...what if _she_ doesn’t?”  

“That’s a chance you’ll have to take.”  

Pearl pulled in a shaky breath, “I’m scared.”  

“That’s okay.  I’d be surprised if you weren’t.”  There was a smile in her voice for the first time since they had started talking.  

Pearl circled her arms tightly around Rose’s neck and held on for a good few seconds.  She whispered, “I love you.”  

“I love you, too.”  

Pearl finally let go and stood up.  She looked Rose in the face for what felt like a long time, and then she turned towards the door.  Pearl felt her nerves crackle in the pit of her stomach, and she sighed deeply in order to quiet them down.  She took a step forward, and suddenly the handle was in her hand, waiting to be turned.  Pearl looked over her shoulder, relieved to see that Rose was still there, if a little farther away.  

“Bye,” she said.  

Rose waved, a big and beautiful smile lighting up her face, “Bye.”  

Pearl turned back to the door.  She wanted to open it.  The knob twisted easily, and she leaned past the frame as the door swung open.  

She stared wide-eyed at what was just a few steps beyond and almost laughed.  The door shut softly behind her.  

~

Steven’s eyes slid open, and the first thing he saw was the ceiling. He must have fallen asleep in the hay loft.  It felt good to sit up and stretch, the dream he was having a moment before slipping away with his subconscious. He remembered very little of it even then; he just knew it had been in his mom’s room. It was strange to him. He usually remembered his dreams.  

Something to his right caught his eye, and he looked over to see Pearl and Amethyst lying on the floor together a distance away from him. Amethyst was tucked in close to Pearl’s chest, and Pearl’s arms were circled around her protectively. He suddenly realized that Pearl was awake, and Amethyst was asleep.  

“Pearl?”  

She jumped, and looked over at Steven like she hadn’t known he was there in the first place.  

“Are you okay?” Steven got up and padded over when he noticed Pearl was crying.  

Pearl nodded and hugged Amethyst closer, “Yes, I… I think I’m going to be okay.”  

Steven didn’t know what she meant, but he figured that whatever had been wrong was alright now.  “Uh, okay,” he looked around for his blanket, but didn’t see it. “I think I left my blanket in the truck. If I go and get it can we all sleep together?”  

Pearl smiled, “That sounds like a great idea.”  

Steven grinned proudly and hurried down the ladder to get his comforter. He went back up slower because he was one-handed, but he was still pretty quick. Pearl seemed to be waiting for him when he returned, and he rushed to cover his fellow gems before climbing under himself.  

He curled against Amethyst’s back and yawned, “G’night, Pearl.”

“Good night, Steven.”


End file.
